Pakistan Football League player Muhammad Fazal has signed a contract with Serbian top league Super Liga club IMT Belgrade.
He debuted for Pakistan in the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) qualifier against Saudi Arabia.
Danish, a Pakistani footballer, has also represented Denmark’s under-19 team.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to not issue No Objection Letters (NOC) to Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi for the Global T20 League.
The board decided this after consulting with the selection committee due to the national team’s unusual engagements.
According to the statement issued by PCB, “After taking into consideration Pakistan’s busy and packed cricket calendar from August 2024 to March 2025, which includes nine International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship matches and next year’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and following consultations with the three players as well as the national selection committee, it has been decided to decline their requests.”
“The three are all-format cricketers, and their services are expected to be required in the upcoming eight months, during which Pakistan will play nine Tests, 14 ODIS, and nine T20Is. As such, and in line with the PCB’s workload management policy, it is in the best interest of Pakistan Cricket and the players that they skip the upcoming event in Canada so that they are in their best mental and physical shape for the season, which commences with the two-Test series against Bangladesh.”
Earlier, the PCB had also declined permission to Naseem Shah for The Hundred.
In the meantime, the PCB has approved NOCS for Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir, and Mohammad Nawaz. The four players are predominantly white-ball cricketers, while Iftikhar and Nawaz are centrally contracted players.
Pakistan is working to secure foreign investment and extend existing loans to meet its external financing needs, as it prepares to implement a new $7 billion deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb shared these plans with Reuters on Friday.
The new 37-month IMF agreement requires Pakistan to enforce tough measures, including higher taxes on agriculture and increased electricity prices. These changes have raised concerns about their impact on the country’s poorer and middle-class citizens, who are already struggling with inflation.
Historically, Pakistan has frequently relied on IMF programmes to avoid financial crises, sometimes coming close to default. The country has also depended on financial support from allies like the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia to meet its IMF targets.
Aurangzeb highlighted that while external financing remains essential, the government is now focusing on sustainable solutions, such as attracting foreign direct investment and securing climate finance. “We expect loan rollovers to continue and have requested extensions for loan maturities,” he said.
Past support from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and China, along with IMF backing, has been crucial for Pakistan’s financial stability. The IMF has stated that the new Extended Fund Facility programme requires approval from its Executive Board and confirmation of necessary financing from Pakistan’s development and bilateral partners.
Aurangzeb is optimistic about managing the external financing gap, describing it as “manageable and doable.” He emphasized a shift towards foreign direct investment, particularly in the Reko Diq copper and gold mine. The finance minister also noted that his government is working on projects to attract investment from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Pakistan, currently the IMF’s fifth-largest debtor with $6.28 billion owed as of 11 July 2024, is also expecting a significant investment from the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) in the Reko Diq project. Aurangzeb plans to discuss further reforms with China during a visit by the end of July.
The price of gold in Pakistan saw a decline on Friday after reaching a record high the previous day.
The cost of 24-karat gold fell to Rs251,000 per tola, a decrease of Rs3,000 from the peak. Despite this drop, the price remains Rs1,600 below its actual cost today.
According to the Karachi Sarafa Association, the price of 24-karat gold was reported at Rs215,192 per 10 grams, marking a decline of Rs2,572. In parallel, the price for 22-karat gold also saw a reduction, now standing at Rs197,259 per 10 grams.
Silver prices also experienced a decline in the domestic market. The cost of 24-karat silver fell to Rs2,850 per tola, down by Rs50, while the price for silver per 10 grams decreased to Rs2,443, a drop of Rs43.
On the international front, spot gold traded around $2,418 per ounce, down by $26.80 or 1.10 per cent from the previous session. Despite the recent dip, analysts remain optimistic about gold’s medium-term prospects, citing ongoing political uncertainties and anticipated rate cuts as factors that could bolster gold’s appeal.
Kelvin Wong, senior market analyst for Asia Pacific at OANDA, noted that while profit-taking is currently influencing gold prices, the outlook remains positive.
Markets are forecasting a 98 per cent probability of a Federal Reserve rate cut in September, according to the CME FedWatch Tool. Non-yielding gold often becomes more attractive in a low-interest rate environment.
Ali Gul Pir, an actor, singer, and comedian, is known for his funny parody videos that humorously depict artists, ordinary people, and even interesting statements made by politicians.
Internet users and admirers of Ali Gul Pir enjoy his videos, while comedy enthusiasts anticipate his mimicry.
Recently, actress Momal Sheikh appeared as a guest on the ‘FHM podcast,’ where it was revealed that she had faced significant struggles during her childhood.
Momal shared, “I love Ferrero Rocher chocolates, but they’re too expensive for me. It’s hard for me to see them at my friends’ houses and not be able to afford them myself.”
Here are some comments from the fans:
Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed’s ‘Barzakh’ has built up massive anticipation as its release date draws nearer.
The drama is not just Fawad’s first major production in years, it also has the distinction of being about a supernatural love story. So, how was the shooting in the beautiful locations of Pakistan’s remote north?
Spooky, as per Fawad.
The superstar has revealed a terrifying encounter with the unknown while shooting for ‘Barzakh’, leaving everyone confused and intrigued.
Recently, Fawad and Sanam appeared as guests on ‘Something Haute’ hosted by Amna Haider.
Fawad shared an unusual incident that occurred during shooting in a house in Gilgit-Baltistan.
“One night, I went outside and saw the sky, clouds, and mountains under the dim moonlight, and I felt a strange sensation. There were a few empty rooms, and suddenly the light in one of those rooms started flickering on and off, and then the same happened in another room,” the heartthrob narrated.
He then told the host about a similar incident during shooting in Chitral.
Fawad said, “I was in a bathroom with a tin ceiling. I felt as if something was on the ceiling, possibly an animal, but I couldn’t be sure. It was breathing very deeply.”
The incidents just add to the anticipation of the mega production. We can’t wait.
Barzakh is a web series that will air on Zee Zindagi on July 19, 2024. The series is written and directed by Asim Abbasi. The cast includes Fawad Khan, Sanam Saeed, Salman Shahid, Syed Arham, Khushhal Khan, and Uzma Beg.
Rumors about Bollywood stars Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai’s divorce have shifted into high gear after he duo did not attend the Ambani wedding together.
Abhishek went to the wedding with his family, including his father Amitabh, mother Jaya, sister, and her family. Aishwarya came later with their daughter Aaradhya.
After this, Abhishek liked an Instagram post about rising divorce cases. The post said, “When love stops being easy,” and talked about how hard divorce can be. People quickly noticed that he liked the post, adding to the rumors.
Abhishek and Aishwarya haven’t been seen together in public for a while.
Experts warn that air conditioners, primarily used to beat the heat and cool rooms, are contributing to global warming by heating up the environment and increasing temperatures.
In cities where tree cover is decreasing, the number of air conditioners is rising.
Ecologists from the University of Agriculture explain that while ACs cool indoor spaces, they simultaneously heat the outdoor environment, leading to higher temperatures.
ACs can raise outdoor temperatures by as much as 60 to 80 degrees Celsius in extreme conditions and has reportedly caused temperatures to rise by half a degree Celsius over the past century.
Experts further warn that continued proliferation of air conditioners to cool environments could irreversibly damage natural ecosystems.
Instead of disregarding environmental warnings, experts urge increasing urban tree cover as a sustainable alternative to cooling the environment without exacerbating global warming.
A massive technical failure occurred at Microsoft, majorly affecting bank service, media, and business affairs across the globe.
Flights have been disrupted at major airports while passengers face problems due to missing data.
Australian authorities say IT services have not been affected by a cyber attack, in fact, a technical problem with third-party software has affected IT services worldwide.
Flights and railway services in the United Kingdom are affected. The services of the British broadcasting organization “Sky News” were suspended, and BBC’s website was also repeatedly affected. The London Stock Exchange is also facing problems.
Flights at Berlin airport have been delayed. Microsoft said in a statement that measures are being taken to address the situation.
Internet services in Pakistan also remained partially disrupted. However, services at airports continued as usual, with no major disruption in flight schedules.
Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz has lashed out at the Supreme Court of Pakistan for its recent verdict in the reserved seats case, saying, “I would like to ask the SC judges to let the country function.”
Last week, the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared the PTI a constitutional party and annulled the ECP’s and the Peshawar High Court’s decisions regarding the reserved seats case.
She also accused the SC judges of “rewriting the constitution to bring one person back to mainstream politics.”
The CM Punjab exclaimed, “It doesn’t make sense at all that a party that didn’t even ask for anything was given everything on a platter.”
Maryam Nawaz further warned, “We will not let this be a cakewalk for you. This government will complete its five-year tenure. If anyone tries to create political instability, they will be dealt with iron hands,”